1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to a sealing mechanism for a small-medium reactor vessel (RV) cable penetration tube, and more particularly, to a sealing mechanism for a small-medium RV cable penetration tube, the sealing mechanism being configured to improve the functional and structural integrity of a cable inserted into a small-medium RV through a penetration tube by using a precise thimble.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, control devices are installed in small and medium reactor vessels (RVs) to control nuclear reactors. Control cables for operating such control devices are inserted from the outside to the inside of RVs by using tubes penetrating the RVs, and sealing mechanisms are used to prevent leakage of cooling materials from nuclear reactors.
Control cables inserted into small and medium RVs are required to operate normally under high-temperature, high-pressure, high-radioactivity, subaqueous conditions and secure sealing mechanisms have to be used to prevent leakage of cooling materials from nuclear reactors along cables arranged in penetration tubes. Particularly, control cables through which power and various signals are provided to control rod driving devices installed in RVs are required to operate without replacement for a given period of time for safe operations of nuclear reactors.
Although such control cables are required to have functional and structural integrity under high-temperature, high-pressure, high-radioactivity, subaqueous conditions, the current technology for improving the integrity of cables is insufficient.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a cable 30 inserted in an RV 10 through a penetration tube 20 in the related art. Referring to FIG. 1, since a device or structure for supporting the cable 30 is not provided in the related art, the cable 30 may wobble due to fluid flows or various internal vibrations occurring in the RV 10. Therefore, the structural integrity of the cable 30 may deteriorate.
Fluid flows and various internal vibrations occurring in the RV 10 may damage the cable 30 in addition to lowering the structural integrity of the cable 30. Thus, the cable 30 may not function normally and the functional integrity of the cable 30 may deteriorate.